Florida Governor Signs Death Warrant for David Pittman: Record Number of Executions in 2021
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has signed a death warrant for David Pittman, who is set to be executed on September 17 for the 1990 murders of three members of his estranged wife's family in Polk County. Pittman was convicted of killing his wife's parents and sister, who were found stabbed and burned in their home. This will be the 12th execution in Florida this year, setting a modern-era record for the state.
The murders occurred during a time when Pittman's wife was seeking a divorce from him, and he was opposed to the separation. Despite the bodies being burned in a fire, a medical examiner determined that the cause of death was from multiple stab wounds. Pittman was convicted in 1991 on murder, arson, and grand-theft charges related to the killings.
Florida has already executed nine individuals this year, with two more scheduled for execution in the coming weeks. Kayle Bates and Curtis Windom are set to be put to death for separate murders dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. Bates' attorneys have appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to halt his execution, citing concerns about racial disparity in the selection of inmates for execution.
The previous record for executions in a year in Florida was eight, set in 1984 and 2014. Governor DeSantis has been criticized for the rapid pace at which he is signing death warrants, giving little time for legal challenges to be made. The Florida State Prison's warden has consistently scheduled executions on the first possible day after the warrants are signed, limiting the window for litigation.
As Florida prepares for another round of executions, the state's death penalty practices have come under scrutiny. The News Service of Florida will continue to monitor developments in these cases and provide updates on the execution process.